Priorities of Candidates
Posted 4-20-1999
Last Thursday at Monessen High School the second of four County Commissioner Debates
took place. Unlike the first debate, that was kind of lackluster, this debate was livelier
because it allowed candidates to rebut another candidate's comments. Much of the night was
still spent with canned responses but toward the end, candidate Brigode, defender of the
status quo, chastised candidates for speaking of back room deals and bond issues and
claimed no one knows what they are talking about but her.
When my turn came, I could not let her
statement go unchallenged. Because some of the challengers may not be as familiar with
details of what has taken place in our county, I felt obliged to let the details be known.
For more than a decade we have had one investment banking firm handle all of the county's
(and the Municipal Authority's) bond work. It has been done without even comparing
strategies. It has gotten to a point that we are refinancing so much that some bond series
have become taxable (municipal bonds are normally tax-exempt). We also can no longer do
current refinancing but must do something called a forward refinancing, meaning the buyers
of the bonds don't get a benefit until some time in the future. Because of that situation,
we must offer a higher rate of return and guess who pays for that? We all do!
But that was only part of my response. I
also pointed out that the public is tired of paying inflated prices for cleaning products
sold by the candidate's fiancée. It finally came to a halt when our management company at
Westmoreland Manor bid out the products honestly. But you can imagine if certain
candidates win this election who will be back in business with the county.
I also pointed out that the average person
on the street with no political connections is turned off by certain families having five,
or more, members of the family on the county payroll. I know everyone needs a job but I
don't think it sends a positive message about government. In my situation, both my wife
and I were elected to our jobs. No one handed them to us. How many folks would want to go
through an election to get, and then keep their jobs? What really disturbed me about that
candidate's attitude was this condescending implication that she somehow knows more than
anyone else. I've been part of the decision-making process and this person offers nothing
to the process. The Vidmer agenda is as predictable as the sun coming up and that seems to
be that candidate's agenda.
I thought the looser format allowed the
debate to take shape. If it continues, each debate may get more interesting. It may show
which candidates can think on their feet and who really has a grasp of the issues. It may
also shed light on what is the agenda of each candidate. I hope the readers have a chance
to see one of the two remaining debates because the crowds are still meager and are mostly
made up of candidates' supporters, not the public. The League of Women Voters and the
NAACP are trying their best to bring a dialogue about this important office to the
electorate, unfortunately there seems to be few takers. |
